Holy Cross Libraries

On this day in …

On August 15, 1854, Rev. Peter Blenkinsop, S.J. (1818-1896) was inaugurated as the 5th President of the College of the Holy Cross. He was born in Dublin, Ireland and came to America as a child before entering the Society of Jesus in 1834. Fr. Blenkinsop was assigned to Holy Cross in 1847. The dread fire of 1852 occurred during his tenure and he was given “ a seemingly impossible task— the [re]building of a college in hard times and with no resources.” At one point, classes were suspended because there was no coal to light the fires. On another occasion, Fr. Blenkinsop found difficulty in meeting an urgent bill. He humbly shared the situation with some of the students, who responded by raising the $500 needed to avert the crisis. In the end, “all things turned out prosperously” and Holy Cross not only survived but thrived. Fr. Blenkinsop died in 1896, known and remembered for his tenacity, assuredness, kindness, self-sacrifice and modesty as well as his service to the Jesuit communities of Georgetown and Holy Cross, and numerous parishes and missions in Pennsylvania and New England.

Use the link in our bio to read a detailed tribute written shortly after his death in The Purple, December 1896, p. 360-369.

The legacy of Rev. Joseph T. O’Callahan, S.J. continues to be examined for the documentary In the Shadow of the USS Franklin. Another esteemed Holy Cross Jesuit, Rev. Earle Markey, S.J., Class of 1953, was a student while Fr. O’Callahan was still at Holy Cross. Fr. Markey shared memories and reflections of Fr. O’Callahan during an interview with the documentarian. ""Every Jesuit," he explained, "is termed ‘a man for others.' Our life is to be a life dedicated to the help of other people."... He also offered a simple measure by which he judges any Jesuit: "If you say to me, is he a good Jesuit? I say, well, what did he do for somebody? That's the first question." For Father Markey, this was the lens through which Father O'Callahan's heroism should be understood." (quoted from Anderson Clark's production notes)
Another example of Jesuit service also came to light in the interview: one of the seminarians assigned to assist the ailing Fr. O’Callahan was none other than a young (and future college president) John E. Brooks, S.J.

Use the links in our bio to read more about the interview or find information about the documentary.

📷 Fr. Joseph T. O'Callahan standing on stairs near St. Joseph Memorial Chapel at College of the Holy Cross. 01 Jun 1959. Web. 22 Jul 2026. , Tim O'Laughlin, Zach Noblitt

archives

These titles represent some of the many items in the Rare Books collection of Archives and Distinctive Collections that tell the story of and celebrate American Independence:

The first image is a 1776 imprint. "A Vindication of the Rev. Mr. Wesley’s “Calm Address to the American Colonies” in Some Letters to Mr. Caleb Evans by John Fletcher, Vicar of Madeley" is a defense of Methodist founder John Wesley’s 1775 “Calm Address,” which argued against the American colonists' rebellion and defended Parliament's right to tax them. Wesley's pamphlet was highly polarizing and his successor, John Fletcher, wrote a “vindication” in support of Wesley.

"The Journal of Charles Carroll, during his visit to Canada, in 1776, as one of the commissioners from Congress" recounts Carroll’s diplomatic trip to Quebec seeking support for the impending War of Independence. Charles Carroll, from Maryland, was a signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He was the only Catholic signer, and also happened to be Jesuit-educated.

The "Address to the City Council and citizens of Worcester, July 4th, 1876" by Benjamin Franklin Thomas was given at the City of Worcester’s celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1876. Thomas was a Massachusetts politician and the grandson of the famous printer and patriot from Worcester, Isaiah Thomas.

📸 College of the Holy Cross Archives and Distinctive Collections

Samuel Adams was a prominent figure in the American Revolution and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His signature also appears on this probate document, which was signed in 1796, when he was Governor of Massachusetts. The autograph is part of the Patrick O'Connor Collection in Archives and Distinctive Collections at the College of the Holy Cross.

📸College of the Holy Cross Archives and Disinctive Collections

John Hancock’s autograph features prominently on the Declaration of Independence. It also appears here, when as President of the Continental Congress, he signed this commission of John Hooghkerk as First Lieutenant of Co. G, First Battalion of New York Forces on Nov. 21, 1776. This framed portrait and autographed document is part of the Edward Bennett Williams Autograph Collection in Archives and Distinctive Collections at the College of the Holy Cross.

📸 College of the Holy Cross Archives and Distinctive Collections

The 27th Annual Convention of the International Catholic Deaf Association was filled with both the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of '76! This program from the Bicentennial Convention, held July 1-17, 1976 in Los Angeles, is part the Deaf Catholic Archives collection in Archives and Distinctive Collections at the College of the Holy Cross.

📸 Deaf Catholic Archives

These simple-looking blocks of wood are pieces of the elm tree that stood in Cambridge, Massachusetts under which George Washington is said to have taken command of the American Army on July 3, 1775. They were presented by the City of Cambridge in 1924 and are now items in the Special Collections at the College of the Holy Cross. The legendary tree fell in 1923, and the story is now considered more myth than fact. However, July 2 does indeed mark the 250th anniversary of George Washington's arrival in Cambridge followed by his inspection of troops in Cambridge on July 3.

📸 College of the Holy Cross Archives and Disinctive Collections; Cousins, Frank, “Cambridge, views, Washington elm tree,” ca. 1865-1914, Frank Cousins Glass Plate Negatives Collection, PhotoVault_Box 82_3721. Courtesy of Phillips Library, Peabody Essex Museum, Rowley, MA.

Happy Independence Day! The Holy Cross Libraries will be closed this Thursday and Friday in observance of this holiday.

A previous post about O’Kane Hall generated questions about the gymnasium and running track. The gym was located in the southwest corner of the basement. By 1925, the gymnasium was transformed into a student recreation hall. O’Kane was also the location of the Chemistry Department and laboratories until 1959, when the department was relocated to Haberlin Hall.

July 4, 2026 marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Visit the Reading the Revolution display in Dinand Library for a selection of books that highlight the complex history of the United States and 250 years of progress towards life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all.

For more suggested reading, visit the MA250 Reading the Revolution Toolkit provided by the Massachusetts Center for the Book (MCB) and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) . Link below:

https://mblc.state.ma.us/programs-and-support/public-awareness/toolkit-ma250.php